-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- No one will know until June how the Supreme Court will rule on President Obama 's Affordable Care Act . What we do know is there are three possible outcomes -- the law is upheld , struck down or struck down in part -- and Republicans must be prepared for each .

If the law , also known as `` ObamaCare , '' is struck down -- in whole or in part -- and the GOP is not prepared , it could find itself on the losing end of a vicious battle that could lead to four more years of Democratic control of the White House and perhaps Congress as well .

On Monday , the president for the first time commented publicly on the Supreme Court 's deliberations . He warned the court about `` judicial activism '' and `` a lack of judicial restraint '' -- something Republicans have said they abhor . And he cautioned the `` unelected group of people '' -- the justices on the court -- against `` overturn -LSB- ing -RSB- a duly constituted and passed law . ''

He walked back those comments after critics , including even liberal columnist Ruth Marcus , took issue with them .

But the message was clear . The president may say he is confident the court will uphold the law , but it seems he 's not entirely optimistic .

And if the law is overturned , we can count on the president to raise the issue on the campaign trail . It 's a reasonable strategy .

Plus , `` relitigating '' the court decision would be better for him than to run on issues such as unemployment rate , the state of the economy or the price of gas , which he has n't handled well . That leaves the Supreme Court .

Although it may be hard to rouse conservatives to action right now since they do n't know how the court will rule , it 's better to be ready than not . If the law is overturned , they will need to come up with a comprehensive alternative . They can take some time to hash out the details by engaging the public on the issue . They can start by telling voters , in the words of the Cato scholar Doug Bandow , that `` ObamaCare represents extraordinary federal overreach , a bid to legislate well beyond Congress ' constitutional powers . ''

Republicans should offer a free-market approach that ends tax-favored treatment of workplace coverage ; encourages competition , even across state lines ; promotes consumer choice ; and somehow addresses those with pre-existing conditions . In many ways , it would mirror portions of what Mitt Romney began to outline in a recent USA Today op-ed .

The Republican plan should seek to repair what is wrong with the health care law but deal respectfully with popular provisions , such as the one that allows young adults to stay on their parents ' plans into their mid-20s .

They also must force insurance companies to explain why they are hesitant to provide coverage for those with pre-existing conditions without an individual mandate . Voters will want to hear something from Republicans that indicates they know , care and want to deal with this problem .

For most Americans , health care is like plumbing : They know they need it ; they do n't truly know how it works , but they definitely know when it 's not working . And they sense now health care is not working , and the health care law -- flawed though it may be -- represents a legitimate attempt to fix it .

There is no doubt health care will remain a highly volatile issue in this election year . If ObamaCare is rejected by the court , it would present a huge opportunity for Republicans . They could look like problem-solvers by coming up with a smart proposal that takes the best ideas from the other side . And if they can message it properly , they 'll be in a sweet spot .

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The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Ford C. O'Connell .

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The Supreme Court is deliberating on President Obama 's Affordable Care Act

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Ford C. O'Connell : If the law is struck down , GOP must be ready to present an alternative

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He says there is no doubt that health care will be a highly volatile issue in this election year

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O'Connell : Republicans should offer a free-market approach to health care reform